Eleven men were arrested during a three-day undercover online operation aimed at people trying to meet children for sex. The Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the arrests Tuesday.

The task force is headquartered at the Fishers Police Department. It ran the operation Sept. 22-24 with detectives from the Greenwood and Lebanon police departments and help from the Westfield Police Department.

According to the task force, each man arranged online to meet someone he believed was a young girl and drove to a location in the Westfield area. Undercover police officers were waiting for them there.

“With digital evidence as well as admissions by the suspects it was unmistakable that these men were at the location with the intent to sexually abuse children,” the release stated. “The results of this operation solidify the need to be ever vigilant in the protection of our most vulnerable population.”

All 11 were charged with child solicitation, a Level 4 felony, and taken to the Hamilton County Jail. Some face more charges. Police said the investigation is still active and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office may file more charges.

Those arrested:

• Ricardo Flores, 43, of Indianapolis, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony, and attempted dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a Level 6 felony
• Lucky Udoudo, 30, of Carmel, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony
• El Hadji Babacar Ndiaye, 26, of Indianapolis
• Sean Conway, 28, of Westfield
• David Josue Gomez-Posada, 21, of Texas
• Simon Cinzah, 31, of Indianapolis, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony
• Homero Madrigal Arevalo, 41, of Logansport
• Darian Foster, 25, of Indianapolis
• Arvind Kumar Kaul, 49, of Carmel
• Jermas McNeal Jr., 36, of Indianapolis, also charged with resisting law enforcement, a misdemeanor
• Michael Podniestrzanski, 38, of Indianapolis

Criminal charges are only accusations. Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Detectives thanked the undercover officers and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office for their work during the operation.

The task force includes detectives from the Fishers, Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Greenfield and Anderson police departments, the Hamilton County and Madison County sheriff’s offices, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It investigates internet crimes against children and child exploitation cases in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison and Tipton counties.

The family of the late Jeff Schwarz, a Fishers resident who died of brain cancer in 2023, has given $10 million to Indiana University to create a new neuro-oncology research center in his name.

IU announced Sept. 24 that the gift creates the Jeff Schwarz Center for Neuro-Oncology Research at the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. The center will study brain cancer, cancer that has spread to the brain and other neuro-oncology conditions. It will bring together lab scientists, translational researchers and clinicians to get new therapies to patients faster.

The IU School of Medicine is adding $5 million, bringing the total investment to $15 million. The center is in new research space in the school’s Medical Education and Research Building.

Schwarz, an IU alumnus, met his wife, Jill, when both were students in Bloomington. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in late 2022 and died in November 2023.

“Jeff and I always shared a love for IU, and it is so meaningful to create something permanent at our alma mater in his name,” Jill Schwarz said. “Our family believes research is the key to better treatments for patients with brain cancer, and we are so proud IU will do that work in Jeff’s memory.”

IU President Pamela Whitten said the family’s generosity “will help IU recruit the brightest minds in neuro-oncology and advance innovations that bring new therapies, new possibilities and new hope to patients and families.”

The gift includes endowed funding for two faculty positions: the Jeff Schwarz Senior Professor in Neuro-Oncology Research and the Jack Schwarz Professor in Neuro-Oncology Research.

Dr. Scott Boden, dean of the IU School of Medicine, said the school’s $5 million commitment “reflects how strongly we believe in the potential of this center and the work that will happen here.”

The donation builds on earlier support from the family. In 2022, Schwarz and his family started the Schwarz Family and Friends Cancer Research Fund. That fund allowed the cancer center to hire Jia Shen, an assistant professor of medical and molecular genetics. Shen’s lab at IU Bloomington studies how to keep glioblastoma from coming back, and also studies brain tumors in children.

The gift is part of IU’s Never Daunted fundraising campaign.

Nearly 25,000 people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with brain or other nervous system cancers this year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The five-year survival rate is less than 33%.

Hamilton County residents who want to vote in the Nov. 3 general election have until Monday, Oct. 5, to register. Early in-person voting begins the next day, Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Early voting opens first at two sites in Noblesville: the Hamilton County Judicial Center, One Hamilton County Square, and the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St.

Fishers voters will get two locations closer to home when eight more sites in Fishers, Carmel and Westfield open Wednesday, Oct. 21. In Fishers, voters can cast ballots at the Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building and the Billericay Park Building. Early voting sites in Sheridan and Cicero open Wednesday, Oct. 28.

“Early voting gives residents more flexibility to cast their ballot when it works best for their schedule,” said Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Kreag Williams. “With locations throughout the county and weekday, evening, and Saturday hours available, we hope voters will take advantage of the option that is most convenient for them.”

Any registered Hamilton County voter who meets the requirements to vote may vote early in person. No application or reason is required.

Voters should bring an acceptable photo ID. Before heading to the polls, they can check their registration status and see who is on their ballot at IndianaVoters.in.gov or by calling the Hamilton County Voter Registration Office at 317-776-9632.

Early voting locations:

• Hamilton County Judicial Center, Noblesville (opens Oct. 6)
• Hamilton County Fairgrounds, Noblesville (opens Oct. 6)
• Roy G. Holland Memorial Park Building, Fishers (opens Oct. 21)
• Billericay Park Building, Fishers (opens Oct. 21)
• Westfield City Hall, Westfield (opens Oct. 21)
• Westfield Washington Township, Westfield (opens Oct. 21)
• Cool Creek Nature Center, Carmel (opens Oct. 21)
• Wilfong Pavilion at Founders Park, Carmel (opens Oct. 21)
• Jill Perelman Pavilion, Carmel (opens Oct. 21)
• Carmel Library, Carmel (opens Oct. 21)
• Sheridan Public Library, Sheridan (opens Oct. 28)
• Cicero Public Library, Cicero (opens Oct. 28)

Hours vary by location and date. For a full schedule, visit the Hamilton County Elections website at this link.

Greg Wright, a Fishers-area dentist, practicing in Indianapolis and Lapel,  and the Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the Hamilton Southeastern School Board, says he wants to give back to a school system that shaped his family.

Wright talked about his campaign in a new podcast with LarryInFishers.com.

All three of Wright’s children went through HSE Schools from kindergarten through graduation. The youngest graduated this year. His wife, Charron, has been active in the HSE High School community, and Wright has coached junior varsity lacrosse.

“I do not have a hidden agenda,” Wright said. “I’m doing this to give back for all the wonderful experiences.”

He said an HSE administrator and community leaders encouraged him to run. He added that Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley’s appointment was “the icing on the cake.”

This is the first HSE board election in which party labels appear on the ballot. Wright calls himself “a very moderate Republican.” He said he chose the label on the advice of people he trusts in a heavily Republican county. “You have my word that I will not make decisions based on politics,” he said.

Wright said the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association told him it did not endorse him only because he runs under a party label. He said there is “no bad blood.” His parents are retired teachers from Anderson.

Wright supports the HSE funding referendum on the November ballot. He estimates it will cost the average homeowner about $20 to $30 a year. “No one lives in Hamilton County because of the beaches and the mountains,” he said. “You live in Hamilton County because of the school system.” If the referendum fails, he said, cuts should protect classroom instruction and teachers first.

On cash reserves, Wright said the district should keep more than the state minimum because the legislature is “unpredictable.” He also said the district cannot rely on reserves to cover recurring costs.

Wright wants HSE to be a destination for teachers statewide and nationally, and he wants the district to “tell our story” better to attract students as enrollment shifts. He pointed to the Fishers AgriPark, the partnership with Conner Prairie, the South Eastern Sports Network and HSE hosting the Chipotle Nationals high school basketball tournament on ESPN.

He sees the board’s role as oversight, not day-to-day management. “We only have one employee, and that’s the superintendent,” Wright said.

The general election is Nov. 3.

The LarryInFishers.com podcast is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full podcast with Greg Wright using this link or the link below.

I have taught classes on ransomware to tax professionals for Indiana University. I have seen how much damage one of these attacks can do to a business and to the people who trust it with their personal information. Now a ransomware attack has hit a health care office here in Fishers.

Bright Smile Dental Care, Ltd., 9931 Eller Road, has posted a notice online saying it found ransomware on its server Aug. 3. The notice says the attack affected the practice’s patient records and practice management software, along with its dental imaging software.

The practice says it brought in cybersecurity consultants right away to look into the attack and limit the damage.

According to the notice, the information that may have been involved includes patients’ names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, insurance information, information about dependents, health information and, in some cases, Social Security numbers. Bright Smile says patients’ financial information was not affected.

The practice believes the risk to patients is low. It says all data on the server was encrypted and there is “no indication that the threat actor possessed the encryption keys necessary to view the underlying data.”

“While we have no evidence that any of our patients’ information was misused, we are providing this notice to explain the incident,” the practice said.

That is good news if it holds up. In my experience teaching this subject, though, many ransomware groups now copy data before they lock it up, then threaten to release it unless they get paid. Bright Smile’s investigation found no sign of that here, but staying alert costs patients nothing.

Bright Smile is mailing letters to all affected patients it has contact information for. It is also notifying the national consumer reporting agencies and reviewing its security policies.

Patients whose Social Security numbers may have been involved can get free credit monitoring through TransUnion. Instructions for signing up will be in the letter.

What patients can do

• Check bank statements and credit reports for anything unusual.
• Get free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.
• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with Experian (1-888-397-3742), Equifax (1-800-525-6285) or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289).
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft hotline at 877-438-4338 (TTY: 1-866-653-4261), or visit ftc.gov/idtheft.
• Report any suspicious activity to Bright Smile.

The notice does not say how many patients were affected or whether the attackers asked for a ransom.

The Indy Fuel announced Thursday they have traded the rights to forward Sahil Panwar to the Cincinnati Cyclones in exchange for defenseman Aaron Bohlinger, who has signed with Indy for the 2026-27 season.

Bohlinger, 26, spent his rookie professional season with the Cyclones, recording two goals and 20 assists in 62 games with a plus-5 rating. The 5-foot-9 right-handed shot from Newburgh, New York, will now suit up for the Fuel at Fishers Event Center.

Before turning pro, Bohlinger played the 2024-25 season at Quinnipiac University, where he posted 14 points and a plus-11 rating in 32 games. He helped the Bobcats win the ECAC regular-season championship.

He previously spent four seasons at UMass, serving as team captain in 2023-24. Bohlinger was named to the NCAA All-Academic Team all four years and helped the Minutemen win Hockey East championships in each of his first two seasons.

His college career included a national title. Bohlinger scored the opening goal of the 2021 NCAA National Championship game against St. Cloud State, helping UMass win the 2020-21 championship.

Bohlinger’s junior hockey career included stops with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL and the Philadelphia Rebels of the NAHL. In Philadelphia, he was a teammate of former Fuel fan favorite Andrew Bellant.

His best junior season came with Alberni Valley in 2018-19, when he recorded 34 points in 55 games.

The Fuel open the 2026-27 ECHL season Friday, Oct. 16, against the Wheeling Nailers at Fishers Event Center. Puck drop is 7:15 p.m.

With the Hamilton Southeastern School Board election coming Nov. 3, many Fishers area voters have been asking the same question: Which district do I live in?

It matters. HSE board seats are elected by district, not at-large. You will see only the candidates running in the district where you live, not all four races.

Four of the board’s seven seats are on the ballot this year. None of the four incumbents holding those seats is running again. Tiffany Pascoe, Juanita Albright, Dawn Lang and Ben Orr are all leaving the board, so at least four new members will take office in January 2027.

The District 4 race in the Geist area is already settled. Stephanie Braden is running unopposed. The other three districts have contested races, and which one appears on your ballot depends on your home address.

How to find your district

One way is to check the HSE district map at this link.

If the map is hard to read, there’s an easier option. Go to IndianaVoters.in.gov, the state’s official voter portal, and enter your information. It shows your sample ballot, which lists your school board race. The same site lets you check your registration and polling place, or register if you haven’t already.

Key dates

• Oct. 5: Last day to register to vote in Indiana for the November election.
• Oct. 6: Early in-person voting begins in Indiana, 28 days before Election Day. Check the Hamilton County Election Office website for locations and hours.
• Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

HSE School Board candidates

District 1

• Faiza Maqsood (no party)
• Greg Wright (Republican)
• Anthony Jason Wren (Libertarian)

District 2

• Josh Perry (no party)
• Cyrus Keck (no party)
• Ferras B. Abdalla (no party)

District 3

• David Turk (Republican)
• Michelle Fullhart (no party), a former two-term board member

District 4

• Stephanie Braden (Independent), unopposed

The Formula 1 team building its permanent home in Fishers had another tough day Saturday. Both Cadillac cars finished at the back of the field in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and one of them ended the race in the wall.

Sergio Pérez finished 15th, the last car to complete all 51 laps, 41.4 seconds behind the winner. Teammate Valtteri Bottas crashed at Turn 15 on the final lap. He was still classified 16th, two laps down, because he had run most of the race distance.

George Russell of Mercedes won after holding off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by less than two-tenths of a second. Two safety car periods had wiped out Russell’s 11-second lead. Isack Hadjar of Red Bull finished third.

Bottas said a problem with the car’s hybrid system caused his crash. Earlier on the same lap he had run off the track at Turn 1, and he believes the system “got confused” after that. He described a “big super-clip” that lasted about 100 meters, a sudden loss of electrical power, and said that afterward “only the front brakes would probably work.”

The team confirmed there was a technical problem and said it would investigate. Race stewards also opened an investigation into the crash.

“A long, difficult day,” Bottas said. He added that the team is still short on pace.

Pérez has won in Baku twice before, in 2021 and 2023. He called the weekend one of his best ever at the street circuit, even though the car was about one to two seconds a lap slower than the leaders. He said drag on Baku’s long straights was the biggest problem.

Cadillac is in its first Formula 1 season and has not scored a championship point yet. Its best finish so far is Bottas’ 13th place in China in March.

Back home, the team is still building its Fishers headquarters. Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss has said the facility will become “increasingly important” as the team moves into “a more U.S.-centered phase.” Employees now based in the U.K. have been told to relocate to Fishers by January 2027.

With eight races left, the Fishers-bound team is still looking for its first top-10 finish.

Changes at the Southeastern Parkway and Olio Road roundabout lead the latest Fishers road construction report, with a permanent closure scheduled for the week of Sept. 28 as work continues across the city.

According to the city’s weekly update, the roundabout’s fifth leg will permanently close to traffic that week. Olio Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction between the roundabout and a point just south of 136th Street.

As part of that work, 136th Street west of Olio Road will close for approximately three weeks, with traffic detoured using 134th Street. Access from I-69 to IU Health Fishers will remain open via the bypass lane, and emergency access will be maintained.

Elsewhere on 136th Street, the widening project has moved into its second phase between Southeastern Parkway and Prairie Baptist Road. That stretch remains closed to through traffic, with a signed detour using those two roads.

At 116th Street and Allisonville Road, traffic remains limited to one through lane in each direction, with designated turn lanes. That arrangement is expected to continue through early October, weather permitting. The east leg of Fishers Crossing Boulevard at Allisonville Road is also closed for paving, requiring drivers headed to Fishers Station to use another entrance. Businesses remain open.

Resurfacing crews plan to pave 96th Street between Carroll and Olio roads during the week of Sept. 28, following milling and base repairs. Flaggers will direct traffic as work moves east to west. Milling is also scheduled to begin that week in Springs of Cambridge.

Lane restrictions continue on USA Parkway north of 106th Street through October. Utility relocation at 131st Street and Brooks School Road may cause periodic restrictions as preparations continue for a new roundabout.

Drivers should allow extra travel time and follow posted detours. Construction schedules are weather dependent and subject to change.

The full report, including utility work, neighborhood projects and Clear Path traffic restrictions, follows below:

Continue reading Fishers road work brings new closures, paving the week of Sept. 28 →

Both Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern faced unbeaten Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponents Friday night, and while neither school came away with a victory, the Tigers showed their most explosive offense of the season.

Fishers fell to Avon 36-26 at home, while Hamilton Southeastern dropped a 30-14 decision at Zionsville.

For the Tigers, the final score only told part of the story.

After struggling offensively through the season’s first six games, Fishers produced its best passing performance of the year behind quarterback Drew Wessel. The senior completed 36 of 53 passes for 439 yards and four touchdowns, despite throwing three interceptions.

The 439 passing yards are by far the Tigers’ highest total of the season and kept Fishers in contention throughout much of the night against one of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference’s top teams.

Fishers finished with 478 total yards, including 439 through the air, but managed only 39 rushing yards as Avon controlled the line of scrimmage.

Bogan led the Tigers on the ground with 27 yards on nine carries, while Skelton added 13 yards on four attempts.

Although Fishers outgained Avon through the air by a wide margin, the Orioles countered with a dominant rushing attack, piling up 235 rushing yards while finishing with 381 total yards.

Avon converted three of nine third-down opportunities, scored on both of its red-zone possessions and capitalized on Fishers’ three interceptions.

The Tigers recorded 28 first downs compared with 16 for Avon, illustrating just how productive the passing game became despite the loss.

The defeat drops Fishers to 0-6 overall and 0-4 in Hoosier Crossroads Conference play, but the offensive production offered encouragement for a team that had struggled to generate points during the first half of the season.

Hamilton Southeastern also faced a difficult challenge on the road against undefeated Zionsville.

The Eagles remained unbeaten with a 30-14 victory over the Royals, handing Hamilton Southeastern its fourth conference loss of the season.

The loss dropped the Royals to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.

Hamilton Southeastern had entered the game hoping to build momentum after its victory over Fishers two weeks earlier, but Zionsville continued its strong season with another conference win.

The Royals have now faced one of the state’s toughest schedules, including Fort Wayne Carroll, Avon, Westfield and Zionsville—all programs that have spent time among Indiana’s top Class 6A teams.

With the regular season entering its final stretch, both Fishers schools will look to finish strong against another series of challenging conference opponents.

HSE’s next opponent is Noblesville at the Miller’s home field, while Fishers travels to Franklin Central.